Gov. Katie Hobbs is looking to spend as much of the federal COVID-19 relief funds as possible before Election Day and the December spending deadline.
On Tuesday, Hobbs announced the allocation of more than $16.4 million to Arizona’s three public universities.
Arizona State University will receive more than $8 million; Northern Arizona University will receive more than $2.6 million; and the University of Arizona will receive more than $5.7 million split between its main campus and its health sciences center.
The $16.4 million comes from the $4.2 billion in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds given to the state. The deadline to obligate ARPA funds passed on Dec. 31, 2024, and the deadline to spend those funds is coming up on Dec. 31, 2026.
Legal forms of obligation include formal commitments through contracts, interagency agreements such as a memorandum of understanding, purchase orders for goods or services, or subawards.
Moving ARPA funds into a general fund without establishing an obligation doesn’t qualify, however.
During Hobbs’ first year in office, she clawed back more than $210 million in ARPA funds issued by her predecessor, Gov. Doug Ducey. The Hobbs administration alleged the funds were illegally issued because the recipients weren’t subjected to a competitive bidding process. Sean Behrens, Hobbs’ senior counsel, said at the time that Hobbs was just following the law.
“We didn’t have a choice in the matter,” said Behrens. “In the Hobbs administration, we follow the law.”
Hobbs’ spokesman Christian Slater refused to elaborate on the original obligations behind the $16.4 million in a statement to KNAU. Slater also denied that the millions had any bearing on Hobbs’ reelection campaign.
“I’ll decline to comment on the processes by which we determine ARPA funding,” said Slater. “As the governor has always said, she is committed to doing what’s right for Arizona and putting politics aside.”
Hobbs said the funds were necessary to offset budget cuts from the fiscal year 2027 state budget, which she characterized as the product of “extremist” and “reckless” Republican lawmakers who she claimed were opposed to public education.
The $16.4 million matches the cuts the state budget made to each university.
“I will always fight to ensure state universities have the resources they need to deliver opportunities for Arizonans and ensure our employers have a high-skilled workforce,” said Hobbs. “ I’ll continue standing up to extremist legislators and their attacks on public education that kill jobs and make our state less competitive.”
The governor sang a different tune about the state budget less than four months ago when she signed it into law.
Hobbs announced her approval of the budget back in June with a press release praising it as “her Arizona First budget” with laudable public education investments.
“I’m thrilled to sign the bipartisan Arizona First budget into law,” said Hobbs. “We’re stopping the data center tax credit for three years, investing in border security, education and water security, and delivering a $1.4 billion tax cut for middle class Arizonans. Starting on July 1, Arizonans will have no taxes on tips and overtime, a higher standard deduction, a deduction for seniors, and next year, an expanded child tax credit.”
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Legislative leaders are petitioning the Arizona Board of Regents for an independent investigation into Arizona State University (ASU) over the near-fatal hockey team workout that occurred last month.
State Rep. Matt Gress (R-LD4) and State Sen. Hildy Angius (R-LD30), respective chairs of the Arizona House and Senate education committees, issued a joint statement urging an outside review after ASU hockey players were subjected to a workout last month that caused one player, 21-year-old Matthew Mayich, to collapse from heat stroke.
Mayich was hospitalized and remains in a coma on life support. It is unclear whether he will recover.
The lawmakers issued their statement following a 26-page letter sent to ASU President Michael Crow from seven members of the hockey team on Monday that heavily disputed ASU’s own initial findings.
The letter disputed key facts regarding ASU coaching staff adherence to heat acclimatization protocol and workout approval policy, the nature of the near-fatal workout, availability and application of heat stroke preventative equipment and water breaks, and the timeline and treatment of Mayich’s deteriorating condition.
Gress said that an outside investigation would be the only way to determine the truth behind this incident.
“Seven players who were on that field have raised serious questions that ASU’s own review does not answer,” said Gress. “We need an independent investigation to determine whether ASU followed its own rules, who was responsible for protecting these athletes, and what happened when Matthew Mayich showed signs of distress. ASU should not be left to investigate its own conduct and decide whether anyone should be held accountable.”
Angius also encouraged the board to secure an outside investigator in order to assure protection to the players behind the letter, who submitted it anonymously through counsel out of fear of retaliation.
“Student-athletes should never have to choose between telling the truth and protecting their scholarship, roster spot, or playing time,” said Angius. “If players fear retaliation for speaking about what happened to a teammate, the Regents need to act. They should protect these students and appoint an investigator who answers to the Board, not ASU.”
🚨House and Senate Education Chairs Call for Independent Investigation of ASU Hockey Workout
Chairman Gress and Chairman Angius ask Board of Regents for outside review after seven players dispute ASU’s account of August 20 workout
The players’ letter alleged that the workout instructor and the workout plan for that day weren’t approved; the session lasted more than 75 minutes, not 45 minutes per the ASU report; Mayich and other players weren’t acclimatized to the heat and received no water during the workout; Mayich and other players were made to continue the workout despite showing signs of physical distress; emergency equipment to treat heat stroke wasn’t on the field; and staff improperly treated Mayich’s heat stroke.
The report further alleged that an assistant coach observed Mayich exhibiting signs of disorientation about an hour into the workout, but took photos and videos instead of intervening. About a half hour later, an assistant coach observed Mayich exhibiting signs of disorientation and directed players instead of trained staff to assist Mayich. Mayich was allegedly sat up instead of laid down to rest, squirted with water rather than immersed, and kept in the sun rather than removed to a shaded area.
The report alleged that some, but not all players, were only given one water break for less than a minute throughout the whole workout. Mayich allegedly didn’t receive any water.
On Tuesday, Mayich’s parents issued a statement calling for the removal of coaches who ran the workout that hospitalized their son pending an independent investigation. Greg Powers, the team’s head coach, and his assistant coaches were on the field that day.
Powers had selected the workout instructor: an Army special forces veteran named Tim Ziesel reported to suffer from serious and lasting issues with decision-making and emotional regulation, among other problems, incurred from a 2023 motorcycle crash.
“The players shouldn’t have to worry about retaliation from the people they report to every day. And there are plenty of former college and pro players in the Valley who could step in and help,” stated the Mayiches. “Mostly, we want accountability for what happened to our son, and we want his teammates to be safe.”
Mayich, a native of Ontario, Canada, was a recent transfer to ASU; this season would have been his first with the Sun Devils. Mayich was previously drafted to the National Hockey League in 2023, but didn’t sign a contract.
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The Arizona Republican Party is targeting Democratic state House candidate Hollace “Holly” Lyon over school choice, circulating a graphic accusing the Legislative District 17 candidate of seeking to take educational options away from families.
In a post to X, the party wrote, “#LD17 voters shouldn’t let the sweet little grandma look fool them….” The accompanying graphic depicts Lyon carrying a bag of money in front of children and a school, with the message, “She Wants To Rob Your Family Of School Choice.”
The graphic’s disclaimer identifies the Republican Party of Arizona, LLC, as its sponsor and states that it was not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s agent. It does not cite a specific proposal or statement from Lyon supporting its characterization.
Lyon’s campaign website lists a pledge to “Strengthen public education and hold ESA vouchers accountable” among her legislative priorities. Her published platform does not specify whether she would seek to repeal universal eligibility for Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program.
In an interview with Blog for Arizona, Lyon criticized the Republican-led Legislature’s adoption of “universal vouchers” for families whose children already attended private schools. She also accused lawmakers of failing to address fraud, waste, and abuse in the program.
Asked about other campaign priorities, Lyon said, “Fully funding our public schools (regardless of the ESA program) is a primary responsibility for the Legislature.” Her interview emphasized greater accountability and public school funding.
In a separate report in the Tucson Spotlight, Lyon said she supports increasing the base-level school-funding formula, improving teacher recruitment and retention through more competitive compensation, and restoring fiscal transparency to the ESA program.
“While funding alone will not solve every challenge in education, we cannot expect schools to succeed without making serious investments in students, teachers, and classrooms,” Lyon said.
The Arizona Department of Education administers the ESA program, which allows participating families to pay for private school tuition, curriculum, home education, tutoring, and other eligible educational expenses.
Under A.R.S. § 15-2402, parents participating in the program must agree to provide instruction in required subjects and use account funds for authorized expenses. The law also generally bars participating students from simultaneous enrollment in a school district or charter school and prohibits accepting a school tuition organization scholarship concurrently with an ESA in the same agreement year.
Another fraternity at the University of Arizona (U of A) is under suspension based on allegations of hazing.
The Sigma Tau Gamma chapter at U of A was suspended earlier this month for allegedly engaging in hazing behaviors during the fall 2025 semester.
The fraternity was charged with violating six parts of the university’s codes of conduct: endangering, threatening, or causing physical harm; violating other rules adopted by the board or university; violating rules or laws governing alcohol; engaging in off-campus conduct that presents a risk or danger to public health, safety, or security; engaging in, supporting, promoting, or sponsoring hazing; and committing any offense prohibited by state or federal law.
In a letter advising the fraternity of its suspension, U of A cited allegations that the chapter had “forced” new members to drink copious amounts of alcohol and eat live goldfish, and that active members had screamed at, degraded, and threatened new members.
As a condition of their suspension, the Sigma Tau Gamma chapter was prohibited from engaging in recruitment or new member-related activities. The suspension notice letter was dated a week prior to the deadline for recruitment registration.
For the 2025-2026 academic year, U of A punished three other fraternities in response to hazing allegations that were said to have occurred in the fall of 2025 and spring of 2026.
Kappa Alpha Order was accused of forcing new members to complete assigned chores, and of its active members screaming at new members. The university substantiated the allegations of hazing and failure to comply with campus police. The fraternity was fined more than $4,000 and placed on probation through May 2027.
Phi Delta Theta was accused of forcing new members to drink alcohol and steal. The university substantiated the hazing allegations. The fraternity was fined more than $4,000 and placed on probation through May 2027.
Sigma Phi Epsilon was accused of subjecting new members to sleep deprivation, forced alcohol consumption, kidnapping, and calisthenics.
The kidnapping and sleep deprivation allegation were found to be without merit following investigation. Chapter leadership responded that the calisthenics allegation was substantiated, and that forced alcohol consumption occurred for one new member but that the member responsible for that hazing incident was expelled and evicted.
The university fined Sigma Phi Epsilon nearly $4,000 and placed them on probation through May 2027.
Over the summer, Sigma Alpha Mu lost university recognition through May 2031 based on hazing allegations. The fraternity was accused of subjecting new members to burns and forced alcohol consumption; the hazing incidents reportedly resulted in bouts of illness and hospitalization.
The university last removed recognition for a fraternity in 2024, for Pi Kappa Phi.
In total, U of A has six fraternities listed as having loss of recognition status: Alpha Epsilon Pi, Alpha Kappa Lambda, Alpha Sigma Phi, Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Mu, and Theta Chi.
Alpha Epsilon Pi and Theta Chi’s statuses both expired in May 2025; the former fraternity appears to have continued activities without reinstatement based on social media posts, while the latter fraternity was formally reinstated this year.
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Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) violated the law with its school closure and consolidation committee, but the county attorney says it’s too late to stop them.
The complaint was filed originally with Attorney General Kris Mayes back in April, claiming that SUSD’s Phase II Design Advisory Team, an advisory committee responsible for coming up with school closure and consolidation options, violated Open Meeting Law because it prohibited the public from attending meetings.
Mayes waited nearly three months to refer the complaint to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO); she cited a conflict of interest as the basis for not taking on the investigation herself.
MCAO told AZ Free News that Mayes didn’t refer the complaint to their office until July 17.
By then, SUSD’s Phase II Design Advisory Team had held all five of its Phase A meetings and three out of five of its Phase B meetings. The final meeting for this illicit advisory committee occurred on August 17.
Since all of the meetings have already occurred, MCAO Deputy County Attorney Caitlyn Mitchell said in a disposition letter on Tuesday that nothing could be done beyond recommending to SUSD that they not recommit a similar Open Meeting Law violation in the future and acknowledge their wrongdoing at the special meeting scheduled to occur that day.
“[I]t is too late to require SUSD to take corrective action concerning future Phase II Team meetings,” stated Mitchell. “MCAO has informed SUSD of its findings and conclusions, recommended that SUSD revise its future use of superintendent appointed committees, and requested that the SUSD Governing Board acknowledge the results of this investigation publicly at the open meeting to discuss the Phase II Team’s recommendations.”
Arizona law requires any legal action taken in a meeting that violates Open Meeting Law to be rendered null and void, unless ratification occurs under certain parameters during a public meeting within 30 days of discovery of the violation.
Non-public advisory committees have been a recurring problem for SUSD. Mayes has previously found SUSD in violation of Open Meeting Law for its use of non-public advisory committees.
During the SUSD special meeting on Tuesday, the governing board didn’t advise the public of the MCAO letter or the fact that the advisory committee responsible for creating the school closure and consolidation options had been conducted in violation of the law. It also stopped the community from making any mention of the letter.
Mike Bengert, the community member who filed the complaint, attempted to speak about the disposition letter during public comment, but Governing Board President Donna Lewis interrupted him.
SUSD counsel Renee Osipov told Bengert that he could only talk about the proposed options for school closures and consolidations.
“We’re not talking about Open Meeting Law. That’s not what we’re agendized to do,” said Osipov.
Lewis had advised at the beginning of the special meeting that public comments not addressing school closure and consolidation options were only permitted for the next meeting scheduled for October 6 — the day that SUSD is anticipated to vote on school closures.
🚨BOMBSHELL: Scottsdale Unified’s school closure committees VIOLATED open meeting law, according to Maricopa County Attorney Office.
Board wrongfully SHUTS DOWN community member announcing findings at public hearing – ANOTHER violation of OML.
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne announced that the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) has secured a $5 million federal grant to expand teacher apprenticeship opportunities focused on special education.
The five-year grant will support the expansion of the Arizona Teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program and create additional paid, job-embedded pathways for aspiring special education teachers to earn certification while working in Arizona schools.
“The grant will expand a program that currently serves more than 90 apprentices statewide, has doubled enrollment in the past year, and maintains a 97 percent apprentice retention rate,” stated Horne. “Nearly half of current apprentices are pursuing special education certification, demonstrating the strong demand for these pathways.”
The existing Arizona Teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program combines paid classroom experience with coursework through an approved educator preparation program.
Apprentices work for a participating school district or charter school under the mentorship of an experienced educator while completing requirements toward teacher certification.
The federal funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Education’s Expanding Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness of Special Education Teachers and Early Intervention Personnel Through Registered Apprenticeshipsprogram.
The federal program supports registered apprenticeships aimed at attracting, preparing, and retaining special eduction teachers and early intervention personnel.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the initiative is intended to help address workforce shortages by expanding work-based pathways into those professions.
As part of the expansion, ADE will support the Arizona Special Eduction Teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program, providing aspiring educators with paid, school-based experience as they complete the requirements necessary to earn special education teacher certification.
The initiative will involve partnerships among local education agencies, educator preparation providers, and workforce organizations.
The Arizona Department of Education sponsors the apprenticeship program in partnership with the Arizona Apprenticeship Office and the National Center for Grow Your Own.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
